How Water Flossers Can Help You Take Care of Your Teeth

Dental health is arguably one of the more popular fields in healthcare. This is evidenced by the numerous dental clinics and dental health practitioners popping up in practically every corner of the world. With good reason, too – considering the fact that it is an important part of improving one’s overall health. It is a sensitive field that needs attention from the masses. This is why a wide array of dental health products have been endlessly marketed all over the world.

There are two things dentist will say to their patients almost every time. The first thing is to brush their teeth every after meal, and the second is to remember to floss afterwards.

Then again, more often than not, the latter is often left undone. But why is something apparently so important usually left undone?

The truth is that flossing is considered by many to be minor in dental health, and that brushing alone can provide the oral care they need. To many, it is more of a hassle than a significant requisite. People’s dislike of flossing may be backed up by a legitimate argument, especially considering the fact that it is a struggle to put the thread in areas of the inner mouth. Even when a person starts to floss regularly, the habit is hard to retain since the act alone is often tedious and boring.

However, thanks to technology, flossing may not be as troublesome!

Say hello to water flossers.

A Water flosser is an innovative approach to flossing, and it has forever changed the way people look at this significant requisite to oral hygiene. Learn more about this revolutionary technology and find out how to improve the maintenance of one’s oral health using these devices.

What is a Water Flosser?

Standard dental floss is generally considered the most effective tool for cleaning the tight spaces between the teeth. One can also use dental floss to scrape up and down the sides of each tooth. With today’s technological advancements, however, the dental floss has been tweaked to make a better impact in the industry.

Hydraulic engineer John Mattingly and dentist Gerald Moyer had a brilliant idea in 1962 to combine the powers of engineering and dental healthcare by producing the first ever oral irrigator. The two collaborated to create an oral irrigator for use in dentistry in 1962 and founded what was originally known as Aqua Tec Corp., now Water Pik, Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado. From then on, the studies regarding this device have found a new niche.

But what is an oral irrigator?

A water pick, oral irrigator or more commonly known as Water Flosser is an innovative device that lets allows a person to floss by harnessing the power of water pressure through a small hose and nozzle. The structure is much like a water pressure gun which directs water in the spaces between the teeth.

It is able to reach places that a toothbrush never could, and can provide a more comfortable experience than using standard string floss. Basically, it’s just a small pressure washer for one’s mouth, but the pressure is low enough to prevent any pain on the gums. This often provides a much better cleaning than using the traditional dental tools.

The device is also sleek and provides a neat way to adjust the speed and amount of pressure that a person might be comfortable with. Furthermore, the device is made simpler to use by buttons assigned to these preferred options, and is durable and reusable unlike its alternative.

What are the benefits of a Water Flosser?

Many studies suggest that using water floss is very advantageous for oral hygiene. This research even explored the possibility of if water floss devices can substitute standard flossing entirely.

Gingivitis is a gum disease that is caused by bacteria, inducing inflammation of the said area. If left unchecked, gingivitis can cause the gums to separate from the teeth which can develop into worse oral diseases. Such a disease is actually associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and lung disease. It also increases the risk of a woman giving birth to a premature or low birth weight infant.

Water floss devices have options which can vary the pulsating water pressure which lessens bleeding gums, thus also reducing the chance of having gingivitis. A 2008 systematic review noted that studies showed a beneficial effect of water flossing on the gingival index, bleeding scores, and pocket depth.

Another benefit of using a water flosser is that this device removes plaque with ease. Plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on people’s teeth. This unhealthy film contains millions of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. By flossing with this device, the dangers of plaque are lessened tremendously. In fact, a study at the University of Southern California Center for Biofilms found that a three-second application of water flossing with the Classic Jet Tip at medium pressure removed 99.9% of plaque biofilm from the treated area.

What is more amazing with water flossers is that it caters to many oral conditions. Water flosses are particularly great for people who wear braces. The water is able to get into the nooks and crannies between the teeth while it easily access the space between the wires and brackets of braces. A standard floss string is unlikely to be able to access these places.

On another note, these devices are also important for men and women with tooth or teeth implants. Maintenance of implants is critical to their long-term survival. A three-month study that compared water flossing with 0.06% CHX delivered with the Pik Pocket™ Tip to rinsing with 0.12% CHX found that those who used the water Flosser had superior reductions in plaque (29% vs. 9%), bleeding (62% vs. 33%), and gingivitis (45% vs. 10%) over rinsing.

Overall, water flossers provide a wide array of advantages while being extremely easy to use.

How to choose the best brand of Water Floss?

Water flossing devices can vary in technology used as well as device modifications. A guide to choose the right water flosser suggests that people should take into consideration various factors, first being the ease of use.

The standard dental floss proves to be a hassle to use since it requires patience and work. On the other hand, water flossers only take a minute to use, and the flosser takes care of all the work for the user. A good water flosser should ensure that people do not struggle going up and or down or left and right going to a specific region. The device should operate fast and effectively, and should have safe battery and wiring components to ensure safe use by any member of the family. People can also opt to use cordless flossers available on the market.

The next factor to consider is durability. Since a person may most likely utilize the brush more often than the recommended times, it is important that these devices should stay in good condition for long term use. Though most of the durable ones are priced 30$-50$.

Finally, a person who wants the best water flosser should push for a device with a warranty in order to have a guarantee on his or her financial investment.

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